Multiple political parties in Turkey underwent candidate selection processes in the run-up to the 2018 presidential election. Parties represented in the Grand National Assembly were able to field candidates directly by collecting signatures from at least 20 of their Members of Parliament, as were parties who had no representation but won more than 5% in the previous general election. Candidates that did not meet either criterion were required to obtain over 100,000 signatures from Turkish citizens between 4 and 9 May.
The incumbent President Recep Tayyip ErdoÃÂan was declared as the candidate for the People's Alliance, an electoral alliance between his Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) nominated Yalova MP Muharrem ðnce. The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) nominated their imprisoned former leader Selahattin Demirtaà Â. Three other candidates, namely ðyi Party leader Meral Akà Âener, Felicity Party leader Temel KaramollaoÃÂlu and Patriotic Party leader DoÃÂu Perinçek received more than 100,000 signatures and were thus nominated to contest the election.
The formal list of presidential candidates will be announced on 13 May 2018 by the Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey (YSK).
The governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) entered the elections in an alliance with the smaller Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Having won public support from MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, incumbent president and AKP leader Recep Tayyip ErdoÃÂan is widely expected to be the Alliance candidate.
In the 2014 presidential election, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) opted to support the candidacy of Ekmeleddin ðhsanoÃÂlu, who was also backed by main opposition Republican People's Party and 12 minor parties. ðhsanoÃÂlu ultimately lost the election to Recep Tayyip ErdoÃÂan, the Justice and Development Party. Following the 2015 parliamentary elections and the failed 15 July 2016 military coup, the MHP moved closer to President ErdoÃÂan and the AKP, supporting the latter's push for the ultimately successful 2017 referendum to switch Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In the aftermath of the referendum, there were speculations surrounding the MHP's choice of candidate for the next presidential election, scheduled for November 2019. While former MHP deputy Sinan OÃÂan declared his pre-candidacy for the presidency in 2017, party leader Devlet Bahçeli announced on 8 January 2018 that the MHP would support a potential re-election bid for ErdoÃÂan, and that they would seek to enter formal talks with the AKP on co-operation in both presidential and parliamentary elections. On 20 February 2018, the Nationalist Movement party formally entered into the People's Alliance coalition with the AKP.
The Republican People's Party (CHP) declared on 24 April 2018 that its parliamentary group would decide its presidential candidate. The party's leader Kemal KñlñçdaroÃÂlu is regarded as the most likely candidate, despite ruling himself out on multiple occasions before the election was announced. Two days after the election was called, CHP Members of Parliament ÃÂztürk Yñlmaz and Didem Engin declared interest in running as their party's candidate, while Muharrem ðnce and Haluk Pekà Âen were also rumoured to have started gathering support for a potential run. On 23 April, it was reported that the CHP had narrowed down their potential candidates to two, namely Muharrem ðnce and Eskià Âehir Mayor Yñlmaz Büyükerà Âen, although ðstanbul MP ðlhan Kesici was still mentioned as a third option.
At the same time as attempting to determine a party candidate, the CHP conducted meetings with other parties to explore the prospect of a joint nominee. On 22 April, the CHP took the decision to allow 15 CHP MPs to cross over to the ðyi Party to guarantee them an election run, raising speculation over ðyi leader Meral Akà Âener as a potential joint candidate. On 23 April, KñlñçdaroÃÂlu met with Felicity Party (SP) leader Temel KaramollaoÃÂlu, with KaramollaoÃÂlu calling for a triple alliance between the CHP, ðyi and his own party to nominate former President Abdullah Gül. The potential joint candidacy of Gül, a former member of the AKP, was not outrightly denied by the CHP, leading to criticism across CHP voters. With the ðyi Party insisting on nominating Akà Âener, the probability of a triple alliance has decreased.
After forming the Nation alliance with the ðyi, Felicity, and Democratic parties in early May 2018, the leadership of the Republican People's Party reiterated its intention to field its own candidate for the presidential election. On 3 May 2018, the central CHP figure ðlhan Kesici announced that the party would nominate Muharrem ðnce, a CHP member of parliament for Yalova, as its presidential candidate. Party leader Kemal KñlñçdaroÃÂlu is scheduled to formally proclaim ðnce's candidacy during a press conference on 4 May 2018.
The co-leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Pervin Buldan announced in March 2018 that they would field a candidate. Since then, the party's former co-leader and 2014 presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaà  has been widely regarded as the frontrunner to be the HDP's candidate. However, Demirtaà  has remained imprisoned since November 2016 awaiting trial on a multitude of charges ranging from insulting the president to inciting terrorism. Following the announcement of the early election, Demirtaà  announced that his party would work to find an effective and encompassing candidate, ruling himself out of the race.
On 24 April, HDP co-leader Sezai Temelli announced that they would field a candidate that was 'strong and will encompass all of Turkey.' On 24 April, it was reported that despite initial speculation to the contrary, Demirtaà  would be the HDP's candidate for the second time. This was confirmed on 25 April, as the HDP executive voted to nominate him as their candidate.
The ðyi Party, formed on 25 October 2017, has campaigned on the promise of reverting Turkey back to a parliamentary system of government, as opposed to the executive presidency that will take effect following the elections. The party's leader Meral Akà Âener declared her candidacy for the presidency on the day of her party's establishment, becoming one of the earliest declared candidates. On 18 April 2018, shortly after the early election was announced, Akà Âener re-affirmed her candidacy and stated that her party would find 100,000 signatures nominated her as a candidate. Early in the evening of May 4, 2018, it was announced that Akà Âener received 127,850 signatures, becoming the first of the four candidates to cross the threshold.
Despite winning less than 1% of the vote in the previous general election, the Felicity Party's (SP) candidate selection process was subject to much media speculation due to the prospect of them joining an anti-ErdoÃÂan alliance and fielding a joint candidate. The recent success of SP leader Temel KaramollaoÃÂlu in gaining media attention for his party meant that the leaders of both the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the ðyi Party met with KaramollaoÃÂlu to discuss a joint alliance. KaramollaoÃÂlu proposed Abdullah Gül as a joint candidate, but heavy opposition from the CHP and the insistence of Meral Akà Âener on being her own party's candidate led to this proposal being rejected.
The SP conducted an internal poll of four candidates, which emerged with Temel KaramollaoÃÂlu being announced as the party's candidate on 1 May. Early in the evening of May 4, 2018, it was announced that KaramollaoÃÂlu received 44,967 signatures, representing a deficit of 55,033. As of May 6, 2018, KaramollaoÃÂlu received 135,945 signatures, becoming the second out of the four candidates to cross the threshold.
A number of candidates also announced their interest in contesting the presidency. These included nominees of smaller parties and independents. Akà Âener, KaramollaoÃÂlu, Perinçek and ÃÂz were the only candidates that applied by the deadline required for the collection of 100,000 signatures.
Voters were able to give signatures to their preferred presidential candidate between 4 May and 9 May at their local electoral council branch. They were only permitted to nominate one candidate. The number of signatures needed to formally become a candidate was 100,000.
Voters abroad were not eligible to give signatures, prompting Perinçek to appeal to the Constitutional Court, arguing that the YSK had violated the rights of Turkish citizens abroad. Overseas citizens were, however, allowed to send a signed declaration by post to their local electoral council in Turkey. Only 72 overseas citizens did so, with 17 signing for Akà Âener, 18 signing for KaramollaoÃÂlu, 35 signing for Perinçek and no signatures for ÃÂz.